3 takeaways: Pacers' wild comebacks continue in NBA Summer League opener as two-way players lead the way

Point guard RayJ Dennis had 26 points and nine assists, guard Quenton Jackson had 24 points and the Pacers rallied back from a 16-point first-half deficit to beat the Cavaliers 116-115 in their first NBA Summer League game Thursday at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 27: Quenton Jackson #29 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles against the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden on December 27, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Pacers 142-105. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Pacers take a 1-0 record into their 5:30 p.m., Saturday against the Thunder in a rematch of the NBA Finals.

Center Enrique Freeman scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds and hit the two free throws that gave the Pacers the lead with 6.3 seconds to go, and Cleveland's Jaylon Tyson missed a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds to seal the Pacers win.

Indiana forward Phillip Wheeler added 15 points. Cleveland's Nae'Qwan Tomlin scored 30 points and Jaylon Tyson added 20.

As for the rookies, Kam Jones had five points in 20 minutes (2-of-4 shooting) and Taelon Peter played 28 minutes, finishing with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting.

Quenton Jackson kickstarted the comeback

The Pacers fell behind by as many as 16 points in the second quarter and were down 63-50 at the break, but the driving force of their comeback was their most experienced player.

Guard Quenton Jackson, who is participating in his fourth NBA Summer League after spending the past three seasons on two-way contracts, got limited minutes in the first half as the Pacers prioritized younger players, but when he got on the floor his athleticism and aggression made a clear and immediate difference. He scored 12 points in the third quarter to help the Pacers win the period 34-23 to draw back to within two points of the lead. He finished with 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting — drilling his only 3-point attempt — and also hitting all seven of his free throws.

He also recorded two steals, helping to turn defense into offense. The Pacers recorded 10 steals and forced 18 Cavaliers' turnovers. Their 23 points off turnovers were a big part of the reason they were able to make a comeback, and Jackson was frequently involved either by recording steals himself, getting his hand on the ball or running out in transition to complete the play. He helped the Pacers outscore the Cavs 66-52 in the second half.

RayJ Dennis sharp at the point

The Pacers may have drafted Kam Jones to provide more depth at point guard, but two-way contract guard RayJ Dennis ran the point for most of Thursday's game and looked more than comfortable in the Pacers' high-octane offense as both a distributor and a scorer.

Dennis kept the ball moving and constantly looked for the opportunity to run, helping the Pacers put 13 fast-break points on the board. His nine assists set the tone for the Pacers, who recorded 23 assists on 39 baskets.

Dennis also scored at all three levels with strong finishes at the rim, an impressive floater and pull-up game and good shooting from long distance. He scored 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting including 4-of-8 from 3. He hit six of seven free throws and also recorded four rebounds and two steals, showing energy on both ends.

As the Pacers look for back court depth behind Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell as Tyrese Haliburton spends the year recovering from an Achilles tendon tear, Dennis looked like a viable third option at the point.

Johnny Furphy starts strong but leaves after elbow to the jaw

Johnny Furphy is the only Pacers player who spent last year on a full-time roster who is playing with the Pacers this summer, and the coaches and front office have high hopes for what he can do with some playing time. The 6-9 wing from Australia by way of Kansas started strong Thursday but left early after taking an elbow to the jaw.

In nine minutes on the floor, Furphy scored eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, knocking down 2-of-3 3-point attempts and finishing at the rim with his left-hand for the third bucket. He had three turnovers, but he recorded an assist with a kickout pass to Dennis.

President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said this week Furphy has put 20 pounds of muscle on since last season, and that muscle clearly seems to be helping him hold his ground both on defense and in the rebounding game and he's playing a more aggressive, fearless game.

However, Furphy took an elbow to the jaw in the first quarter and didn't return to the game. NBA TV sideline reporter and former NBA sharpshooter Dennis Scott reported after halftime Furphy doesn't have a concussion or anything of that nature, but the Pacers weren't trying to further risk injury in a Summer League game and took to opportunity to get other players on the floor.

Pacers vs Cavs NBA Summer League highlights

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 3 takeaways: Pacers' wild comebacks continue in NBA Summer League opener as two-way players lead the way